Christian Life

You Cannot Hide Your Sins from God

Robert — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:57:30 +0000

Reading for the day: Proverbs 28:13

“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

Have you done something that you know is wrong in God’s eyes? Have you confessed your sin with a contrite heart, or are you avoiding the issue, hoping the problem will go away?

Toddlers often do this. They may take a cookie they weren’t allowed to have, or push down a playmate. When we ask them if they did it, they look innocent and say, “No! Not me!” even when we saw them do it. As parents, we know that we can’t let them get away with lying about what happened, because even if they deny it, they did something wrong and they must admit it and learn from their mistake. We may even say, “It’s okay that you pushed your sister, but lying about it is wrong. I’d rather you tell me the truth even if you did something bad than lie to me.”

Then why do we so often try to ignore our own sins? Perhaps we’ve fudged a bit on our tax return, or gossiped behind someone’s back. Maybe we have cheated on our spouse or been unfair to our children. But whatever the sin, we cannot hide them from God. Like a watchful parent, He sees our sins even if we don’t acknowledge them ourselves. But we need to confess them openly and honestly; only then will we learn from our mistakes and gain God’s mercy and forgiveness. God asks us to confess so that we can move on – the burden of a ‘hidden’ sin is one we don’t have to carry.

Prayer Suggestion: If you have been avoiding confession of your sins, don’t wait another day. Lay all of them before God and ask for His mercy and forgiveness.

Robert Moment is a personal growth “throw the box away” inspirational life coach, speaker and author of bestselling book, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love, peace, joy , power and prosperity in their lives. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/ChristiansFaith.

Five Great Needs Only God Can Fulfill

Robert — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:01:53 +0000

Everyone has human needs that go beyond the physical. If we have food, water, and shelter, we can survive. But to truly thrive, there are spiritual and emotional needs that we all have. We all strive to find ways to satisfy our need for Love, Acceptance, Security, Identity and Purpose. Some of us seek these in ourselves, in others and from society, but none of these needs can be truly fulfilled except by God.

Love

God’s love is always present and unconditional. If you’ve ever had a friend or loved one that you felt you could trust completely, you’ve had a faint taste of what its like to be able to rely on someone without worry or fear. But even the strongest relationships can end , loved ones can die, circumstances can destroy our faith in others. Not so with God and His unconditional love because He is never-ending and never changing. Nothing in this world that you can do or say will alter His love for you. He will never leave you or forsake you. You can always, always find comfort and security through your relationship with God because it is, like Him, eternal.

No matter what you do, no matter how you look, now matter how many mistakes you’ve made, you can never let God down because He loves you without conditions, without measure and with no reservations or any hidden agenda. God is guiding you through every experience of your life – not because you have earned it, but because God loves you no matter what. When the dark clouds settle and all others abandon you, the light of God will shine bright and show you the way. His guiding light is unconditional love.

“I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever “
— Psalm 52:8

“ For great is your steadfast love toward me”
— Psalm 86:13

“I am with you always to the end of the age”
— Matthew 28:20

Acceptance

From the time we are born, we search for acceptance. The sense of belonging to another person or to a group of people is a powerful affirmation. We try to please our parents as toddlers so that they will accept and love us. When we are in school, we hope to be accepted into the “popular crowd.” At work, we want to be on the best project team or be accepted by our boss and coworkers. We enter into relationships because the other person accepts us.

But relationships fail, groups change over time and even our parents may be disappointed in our actions. The only true, unconditional acceptance is that offered by God. He loves us no matter what. He doesn’t care what we look like or about the mistakes we’ve made. As His creation, He loves and accepts us unconditionally.

To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein
He hath made us accepted in the Beloved.
- Ephesians 1:6

Security

There is such a sense of security that overwhelms us when we are safe in the arms of God. Although our circumstances can change from day to day, God is eternal. Many of us accumulate money and power, hoping these will keep us secure, but we can lose our money and our power so easily! The person who is on top today may be in the gutters tomorrow. No power we gain for ourselves can protect us from the many possible problems of this world.

God, however, is our eternal protection. He is our security and shelter in any storm because He will not leave us in times of trouble. No matter what happens, He will guard our souls and direct our footsteps if we ask Him to. Let yourself be secure in God’s abiding presence and you will always feel safe.

“You will be protected and take your rest in safety.”
- Job 11:18

“Never will I leave, never will I forsake you.”
- Hebrews 13:5

Identity

Do you put on a mask for others so that they will see you in a particular way? Do you have different identities for different people? We are always trying to define ourselves in relation to other people. Are you a father? Employee? The best friend? The fun one? Our identities are often tied to what we can provide to others, and it can be difficult to be all things to all people.

God knows our true identity – the one that is whole and complete, the hidden most part of our heart and soul. We are uniquely, fearfully and marvelously made children of God! When we discover the power and presence of God within ourselves, we have found our true identity, one that doesn’t depend on what others see. We are, and always will be, unique creations of the Master Creator.

“I am a member of God’s household”
- Ephesians 2:19

“I am God’s child.”
John 1:12

Purpose

We all wonder why we are here occasionally. Do we have a purpose to fulfill? Is being a parent our ultimate role? Are we supposed to be achieving great things at work? Do we have a destiny to fulfill? We can spend our lives worrying about what our purpose is, but it will be an exercise in futility unless we turn to God for guidance. No one on earth knows what you should be doing.

God decides our life’s plan and purpose here on earth. He created you to fulfill a divine purpose, no matter how large or small, that is part of His eternal plan. Isn’t it reassuring to know that what you do and say matters in the grand scheme of things? Our purpose is essential!

“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.”
- Psalm 138:8

Tonight as you say your prayers, thank the Lord for providing everything you need and all that your heart desires, including unconditional love, acceptance, unfailing security, a unique identity and a true purpose !

Robert Moment is a personal growth “throw the box away” inspirational life coach , speaker and author of best-selling Christian Book, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love, peace , joy , power and prosperity. Visit www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE life-changing 7 day online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/Christiansfaith .

God is Bigger than Your Problems

Robert — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:28:46 +0000

Reading for the day: Mark 4:35-40

“…Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to the disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?
’They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!’”

Have you had days when you’ve wondered if God could really help you through the low points in your life? Perhaps sometimes you feel like the many problems you face are so many and so overwhelming that you can’t imagine how He could find a solution for you.

In moments like these, when you may be facing an illness in the family, the loss of a job, a bitter divorce or a child who has gone down the wrong path in life, you need to see your problems as God sees them rather than looking at them through your own eyes. Although you may not be able to come up with an answer, God will lead you toward a solution and shelter you during times of trial.

It can be hard to remember that, but putting aside your own fears and sorrows and looking outward rather than in will put things in perspective. Take a walk and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. Think about how He keeps our world spinning safely on its axis and controls the sun, moon and stars. Remember the many miracles He has performed, even to controlling the storms! It’s much more difficult to calm a raging storm than it is to lead you toward a resolution for work woes, parenting problems or even the loss of a job. Yet He loves us so much that no problem is too small for His loving kindness. We aren’t insignificant to God – He is powerful enough to take on all of our cares and more!

Prayer Suggestion: Ask God to help you, reminding yourself that no problem is insignificant to our Lord, who commands the wind and rain.

God Knows Where You Are

Robert — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 04:01:30 +0000

Reading for the Day: Psalm 139:7

“I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!”

When you’re a kid, no matter where you go, it seems like your parents always can always tell where you are. It’s that uncanny ability that amazes and frustrates you at the same time, especially when you don’t want to be found. It’s the same with God. He’s our Heavenly Father and He can always find us even if we don’t want to be found.

In the verse above, it sounds like David is trying to escape from God. He realizes that it is useless and starts to yell in desperation. In actuality, he is happy that God can always find Him. You might not want to acknowledge it now, but when you are lost, all you want to be – is found.

God can see us when we sin and when we do good. Yes, He is disappointed when we don’t follow Him, but in His love, He still protects us. And, most importantly, He is always, always ready to accept us back into His fold.

When we do find God again, we are often scared to tell Him what we’ve been doing. Here’s a news flash: He already knows. He sees what we do in the light and the dark. It is not God’s nature to want to crush us in our sin or ridicule us for what we’ve done.

Yes, He wants us to confess our sins to Him but because we love and trust Him, not because He’s ignorant of what we’ve been up to. And, He will forgive and gather us up into His loving arms to be comforted – forever. How’s that for a welcome home greeting!

Prayer Suggestions: God is always watching you – with love in His heart.

God Can Give You Wholeness

Robert — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:01:28 +0000

Many of us are struggling every day just to get by. Our lives are unbalanced, out of control. Sometimes this lack of balance is caused by situations outside of our control, such as the economy, our jobs, responsibilities and obligations. However, in many cases, our unbalanced lives are caused by our own habits and lifestyles.

In many cases, our struggles can be categorized into seven symptoms or excesses that involve:

Erecting walls
People pleasing
Overspending
Chemical dependency
Thinking too much
Always rescuing people
Working too much

Does this mean that you shouldn’t try to please others, or help people in need? Does this mean you shouldn’t work overtime for the extra pay? Not at all. We should try to please others, help those in need, and work to support our loved ones.

However, God can help us find a balance and a sense of wholeness in our desire to both help others and to protect ourselves against stress and anxiety. Chemical dependencies can often be blamed on stress or pressure to excel. When we feel weak, frightened, or worried, we often retreat behind walls we erect to keep the hurt and the disappointment away. Feelings of shame, embarrassment, and failure isolate us from our loved ones and create distances between married couples, parents and children, and friends. Many of us feel incapable or unable to live the lives that others expect of us. In such cases, God is our salvation.

Place your troubles in God’s hands. Rely on Him to guide your life. By doing so, you may find you’re not only able to help others, work hard, but also to resist temptation and strive harder to live a healthy and balanced life while at the same time enjoying the benefits of God’s grace.

God’s love, wisdom, compassion and understanding offers each of us a place of retreat and refuge when life’s pressures become too heavy. You don’t have to put up walls with God. He knows you. You don’t have to go one shopping sprees, eating binges, or rely on alcohol or chemicals when you’re feeling depressed, unworthy, or afraid. Instead, lean on God. His strength can carry us through life’s most difficult situations. God accepts us, faults and all.

Many people think they have to belong to a church in order to benefit from God’s grace, but the truth is, you can seek or commune with God anywhere, even from your solitary refuge at the back of your closet. While you can certainly pray for support and wholeness from a church sanctuary, you can also talk to God in your backyard, while driving, or going for a walk. Communication is the key to seeking a relationship with God, and it’s up to you to let Him know how you’re feeling. The truth is, God probably already knows how you feel, but He likes to hear you say it. He wants us to ask for help when we need it.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble”
– Psalm 46:1

Asking for help from God isn’t a sign of weakness, but of faith. Pride and stubbornness don’t help us find peace and stability in our lives. On the contrary, the inability to ask for help, to be open to new options, or believing that we can only rely on ourselves are a few of the obstacles that prevent many individuals from experiencing a peaceful, balanced life.

“Have faith that you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
–Matthew 21:22

God can provide balance to those of us struggling to make ends meet, resolve issues, or overcome tragedy and grief. God can give us wholeness with open hands and a loving heart. All you have to do is ask.

God Knows Your Name

Robert — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 04:01:43 +0000

Reading for the Day: Luke 12:6-7

“What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”

There’s a song entitled, “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” It reminds me of these verses. God values all life. He wouldn’t let even a sparrow fall and be harmed.

Yet, He knows how many hairs are on our head. We are made in His image – every man, woman, boy and girl who lives now, have lived or will ever inhabit this earth mirror Him. He loves us even more than those birds.

Fame is something that people want in this world. They want to be noticed by someone, anyone. It can lead to the wrong road in life just for love and attention. God loves us so much that it pains Him when we turn to others for the love that only He can give.

That hole you feel can only be filled by Him. Once He enters your life, then real love can grow. We can learn how to love others and also how to be loved by others.

What do you have to lose? You trust other people who don’t keep their promises. God will keep His. And, He knows you better than anyone else alive.

Prayer Suggestions: God knows your name, but do you know His? When you pray, say “Abba, Father.” He will hear you and answer.

God Always Keeps His Promises

Robert — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 04:04:03 +0000

Reading for the Day: Acts 2:39

“For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.”

In the book of Acts, Peter delivers a promise to the people directly from God. Most people are familiar with verse 38, but not necessarily the one that comes after. He was talking about salvation and how it is available to everyone.

Many things in our lives are temporary; we just don’t always know it. Jobs that seem permanent go away when the economy gets bad. Love relationships go sour. Unfortunately, it is the nature of this world.

God is not of this world. He created this world. His son, Jesus, came to let us know how much we are loved by the Father. Part of that love comes in the form of promises.

But, how many of us actually believe them? Living this life can make you cynical and untrusting of those who make promises – even God. But, the Father is patient with us. Because He is God, He cannot lie to us like other humans can and do.

In the promise above, when you call on God through repentance and participate in the act of baptism, the Holy Spirit will inhabit your soul and guide your life. You will be in the palm of His hand where no one can steal your joy or your salvation unless you let them.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

- R. Kelso Carter, 1886

Prayer Suggestions: If God promises it to you, it will come to pass.

How Faith Works

Robert — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 04:01:45 +0000

You don’t need any special equipment or knowledge to have faith. Faith is believing in something you can’t see, or something you haven’t experienced, yet you know it’s there. Faith is the assurance of the answer to all we take to God in prayer. The three basic tenets regarding faith include:

Asking
Believing
Receiving

Does this mean that you’ll get everything you ask for from God? Not necessarily. God, in His own infinite wisdom knows what we need. However, by asking for help, support, love, or understanding, and sometimes, even material things, we should humble ourselves and ask with a sincere heart. How do you ask for faith from God? Open your heart. Dig deep into your soul and know that you’re asking for salvation. Asking anything from anyone requires believing that the person is there. The same goes for God. When you ask for faith, you must believe that God exists, and that He can hear and respond to you.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
— Hebrews 11:1

Believing as another powerful aspect of faith. We’ve heard the story of Doubting Thomas and his need to see the wounds of Christ before he would believe He had risen from the dead. As the Bible says, “Blessed are those who believe without seeing.” Belief is a powerful concept, one that carries great depths of emotion and strength.

“We walk by faith, not by sight”
— 2 Corinthians 5:7

Believing that God is the only one that can help or save us means placing our entire trust and loyalty in Him and His power. Does that mean that you shouldn’t try at all? Not at all. While we should place our burdens and concerns in God’s hands, we also need to take courage to make changes in our own lives. Trust and faith in God that you have the ability to do so, no matter your circumstances, is as important as asking for help and believing you will receive such help.

Believe in yourself. Believe that God is there for you. Believe that no stress or worry is too little for God to deal with. God cares for everyone.

Receiving a gift is easy, most of the time. You extend your hand, receive the gift, and offer thanks. However, receiving the gift of faith goes a little deeper than that. It means relinquishing human pride and opening your heart to the workings of a mysterious power that we cannot see. Faith requires believing without seeing. It requires trust.

“Ask , and it will be given to you; seek and you will find, knock , and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
– Matthew 7:7-9

Sometimes, the gift of faith is received through constant seeking, or it may be immediate. The key is to search your heart, to ask in sincerity, to believe deeply and truly, and to be open and receptive to the receipt of faith.

God tells us that we should believe without doubt, because God is pleased by such depth of faith and rewards the faithful. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open to you,” says Jesus.

Asking, believing, and receiving faith goes way beyond asking for temporary favors, but requires an effort by the individual doing the asking to truly attempt to understand and know God, to live a life that will please God, and to continually place your life under God’s guidance and control.

“Listen to me ! You can pray for anything and if you believe you will have it.”
–Mark 11:24

Faith works in mysterious ways, and not everyone will ask for help the same way, believe in God the same way, or even receive gifts from God in the same manner. While you may not receive a physical or material package, the act of asking, believing and receiving faith requires open arms, open heart, and open mind. Faith has the power to change your life. Open your arms, ask, believe, and receive. Be assured that with God there is always a way, with God there is always right answers.

Robert Moment is a personal growth “throw the box away” inspirational life coach, speaker and author of best-selling Christian Book titled, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love, joy, peace and prosperity in their lives. Visit www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE life-changing online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/Christiansfaith .

Experiencing a God Encounter

Robert — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 04:01:23 +0000

Reading for the Day: Exodus 3:2

“There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up.”

What is a God encounter? Is it like the burning bush or the Damascus road? Or, is it something different like Jesus talking with the woman at the well?

God comes to each of us in His own way. He only said that His sheep will know His voice and follow Him. Well, His “sheep” speak different languages.

On the Day of Pentecost, mentioned in the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit indwelled each believer in the Upper Room. When they went outside and spoke in tongues, each person who heard them received God’s message in their own language. How amazing!

Maybe God speaks to you in that “still, small voice” in your mind, in your voice. You know it is Him because you KNOW Him. When your relationship has developed enough and you are in constant contact with Him, you can recognize when He speaks.

Or, He may make His presence known through someone else in your life. The route of communication depends on you and God. But, when you hear from Him it is like the sweetest music to your ears. The God of the universe is talking to you, in your language!

If we stay in tune with Him, we can probably recollect at least one God encounter we’ve had every day.

Prayer Suggestions: Read your Bible. Recognizing God helps us to “see” Him more clearly.

God is Not Finished with You Yet

Robert — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:01:27 +0000

Reading for the Day: Philippians 1:6

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

It takes time to create a work of art. If you are a perfectionist, then you want it to be just right before you unveil it to the world. God is no different. Every time He knits a new life together in a mother’s womb, a creation that has never been seen before or since is in progress.

Each day of your life God has a plan. Now, we all don’t acknowledge Him from the beginning of our lives, but that doesn’t stop Him from reaching us. Bringing us to the place where we can hear about and accept Him is also part of the plan. Think about Paul on the road to Damascus. God may not speak to you like rolling thunder, but you will know when He does all the same.

And, once you are restored to Him, through your belief in Jesus Christ, the journey begins. God has lots for you to do. As His child, His mission is now yours – reaching people with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

It’s important work too. There are people living in pain and dying without knowing how good God is. Lives are messed up from abuse of all kinds because they don’t know that God can love them through their pain.

With so much to do, God needs your help. Maybe the vision He showed you hasn’t come to fruition yet, but it will. Why? God is not through with you yet!

Prayer Suggestions: Please be patient with me. I am a work of God in progress.

Robert Moment is an innovative forward-thinking “throw the box away” inspirational life coach, marketing expert, speaker and author of God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about empowering individuals on how to experience God’s love, peace, power and prosperity in their lives. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/ChristiansFaith.

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